Teal Season 2026–27 — Early Teal & Regular Season
The 2026 September teal season — a 9-day season under the federal framework — is complete. Here are the dates and limits states set, and how teal count once the regular duck season opens.
9-day season in 2026
6 teal/day, 18 possession
21 states checked
Early Teal Season — Key Facts
- • Dates: Between Sept. 5 and Sept. 27, 2026 in the states we checked, inside the federal Sept. 1–30 bracket
- • Bag limit: 6 teal per day, 18 in possession (KY, TN, FL: 6 teal and wood ducks, max 2 wood ducks)
- • Species: Blue-winged, green-winged, and cinnamon teal in the states we checked that name them
- • Duration: 9 days in 2026 (KY, TN, FL ran 5-day teal–wood duck seasons) — before the regular duck season
- • Licenses: State hunting license, Federal Duck Stamp, and HIP registration required
Section A: Early Teal Season Participating States
The 21 states we checked for the completed 2026 season. Dates come from each state's 2026–27 regulations or the USFWS 2026–2027 seasons memorandum. The USFWS list also authorizes MI, MN, WI, KS, NE, and part of NM, which we did not confirm.
| State | Flyway | Early Season Opens | Early Season Closes | Daily Bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | Mississippi | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 |
| Louisiana | Mississippi | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 |
| Mississippi | Mississippi | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 |
| Tennessee | Mississippi | Sep 12, 2026 (teal & wood duck) | Sep 16, 2026 | 6 (max 2 wood ducks) |
| Alabama | Mississippi | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 6 |
| Kentucky | Mississippi | Sep 19, 2026 (teal & wood duck) | Sep 23, 2026 | 6 (max 2 wood ducks) |
| Missouri | Mississippi | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 6 |
| Iowa | Mississippi | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 |
| Illinois | Mississippi | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 |
| Indiana | Mississippi | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 |
| Ohio | Mississippi | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 |
| Colorado | Central | Sep 12, 2026 (Lake & Chaffee Cos., east of I-25) | Sep 20, 2026 | 6 |
| Oklahoma | Central | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 6 |
| Texas | Central | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 |
| South Carolina | Atlantic | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 |
| Georgia | Atlantic | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | 6 |
| Florida | Atlantic | Sep 19, 2026 (teal & wood duck) | Sep 23, 2026 | 6 (max 2 wood ducks) |
| North Carolina | Atlantic | Sep 10, 2026 | Sep 19, 2026 | 6 |
| Virginia | Atlantic | Sep 19, 2026 (east of I-95) | Sep 27, 2026 | 6 |
| Maryland | Atlantic | Sep 17, 2026 | Sep 26, 2026 | 6 |
| Delaware | Atlantic | Sep 5, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | 6 |
Section B: Teal During Regular Duck Season
During regular duck season (which opens from late September to late November depending on state and zone), teal are legal game and count toward the daily duck aggregate — 6 ducks per day in the Atlantic, Mississippi, and Central Flyway states we checked and 7 in the Pacific Flyway states we checked. North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming have no September teal season; instead, they may allow 2 bonus blue-winged teal per day during the first 9 days of the regular season (USFWS MGBHM–2026–01, pp. 17–18).
Green-winged teal are more commonly encountered during regular season as they tend to be later migrants than blue-winged teal. By the time regular duck season opens, most blue-winged teal have moved south toward Mexico and Central America.
Blue-winged vs Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal
- • Early migrants — peak movement August/September
- • Primary target for early teal season
- • Winter in Central and South America
- • Smaller than mallards — fast, agile flyers
- • Blue wing patch visible in flight
Green-winged Teal
- • Later migrants — peak movement October/November
- • More common during regular duck season
- • Winter in southern US and Mexico
- • Smallest North American dabbling duck
- • Iridescent green wing patch (speculum)
Teal Hunting — Frequently Asked Questions
Track your teal season with BlindBook
Log early-season hunts, track your 6-bird teal limit, and ID green-wing from blue-wing with AI.
Teal seasons on this page were checked 2026-10-16 against USFWS Migratory Game Bird Hunting Memorandum MGBHM–2026–01, Authorization Conditions (Aug. 27, 2026; Special Early Teal Seasons, p. 12), and MGBHM–2026–02, 2026–2027 Seasons in Certain States (pp. 7–8, source for DE, FL, GA, MD, NC, SC, VA, IL, and IN), plus 2026–27 state regulations: AGFC Early Migratory Birds; Louisiana 2026-2027 Hunting & WMA Regulations; MDC Teal Regulations; TPWD news release, Sept. 8, 2026; ODWC September Teal, Geese & Sandhill Cranes; MDWFP 2026–2027 Hunting Seasons; TWRA Migratory Birds; KDFWR Migratory Bird Hunting; Iowa DNR September Teal; ODNR 2026-27 Hunting and Trapping Season Dates; 2026-2027 Alabama Waterfowl Hunting Guide; CPW 2026 Colorado Small Game & Waterfowl brochure; and FWC Migratory Bird Hunting Regulations. Always confirm with official state agency regulations before hunting.
For waterfowl population trends, harvest analysis, and conservation research, see WaterfowlAI Insights.